Oogie Boogie Man
by Chloe Winchester
Summary: The Boogie Man. Not real right? That's what Sam and Dean thought before strange things start happening based off of books and horror movies. And every scene speaks of the Boogie Man. Hurt!Dean Sequel to Plague. Spoilers for AHBL2 and NRFTW
1. To Tell, Or Not To Tell?

--Okay so I changed the name, sorry. Ya know how finikey writers can be! Anyway, enjoy!!--

1

**Then...**

_"Saaamm!" _

_Sam fell to his knees, the crunching sound that came from behind him made Dean's stomach flip. He wasn't fast enough._

_"NOO!"_

_Jake took off, out of sight, Bobby took off after him. Dean didn't care, he could barely continue to sprint toward Sam. He couldn't hear anything, just the sound of his own heart-beat and the same thought screaming in his head._

_Not Sammy. Anybody but Sammy, please God NO!_

_He finally reached his fallen little brother, pulling his face up. His hand went to Sam's back, which was instantly drenched in Sam's blood._

_"It's not even that bad." He assured, more so himself than Sam. "It's not even that bad." He continued talking to him, trying to say anything to keep Sam awake._

_Sam fell against him and he knew. Dean could feel Sam's life leaving his body, faster and faster. Sam got heavier._

_"SAAM!"..._

_Sam's lifeless body had been laying on this bed for hours. There was only one thing Dean knew he could do. To make things right, to bring back the only family he had..._

_"All you gotta do is bring Sam back."_

_"I'll give you one year, and one year only." It was the best offer he was going to get, so he took it..._

_"How long did you get?"_

_"One year."_

_"Okay, I'll find a way to save you." Dean knew this wasn't the time to tell Sam if he interfered, he would die all over again. But he would, just not right now. Right now he was thanking every God he could think of that his baby brother was safe._

**Four months later...**

"You haven't told her?" Sam asked, incredulous. "Are you kidding me?" Dean looked at the floor, he couldn't look Sam in the eye. He had known this conversation was coming, and now he'd have to man up and face it.

"Like you told Maggie." Dean said. Sam snorted.

"Hell yeah I told her." Dean looked up at him, surprised. "I died Dean, I'm not gonna keep that from my girlfriend. And you are dumb enough not to tell Lauren, the mother of your child, that you are gonna die. What is she supposed to think one day when she wakes up and you're dead? Then I have to tell her where you are? That's not fair Dean."

"I know," Dean sighed. "I know Sammy. It's not. I just, I don't know how to tell her. I don't know how. I mean, how do you start a conversation like that up?"

"I don't know Dean." Sam said. "But she has a right to know. Plus, Maggie can't keep a lid on it forever. I made her swear on my life, which she didn't think was very funny, that she wouldn't say a thing about your deal."

"Alright. I'll tell her tonight. She was going to the doctors today for a sonogram. She gets to find out if our kid's a chick or a dude." He said with a small smile. Sam did too. He was going to be an uncle...longer than Dean was going to be a father.

"Hey guys?" Maggie said, opening the Motel room door. "Lauren was supposed to be back by two, it's now five." Maggie's voice was shaky, her face pale.

"Damn it!" Dean said through gritted teeth. His fists clenched and he felt his blood pressure rising. "I'll find her." He grunted, grabbing a duffel bag full of arsenal.

"We'll come with." Sam said. Dean turned around, a stern look on his face.

"I got this." He said. "She's my girl. And nobody can stop me from getting her back." He hoisted the bag over his shoulder and opened the door. "They may want my baby but they sure as hell ain't gonna get it."

* * *

Lauren pulled her legs as close to her chest as she could get them. Her bowling ball size stomach got in the way. Her cell she was in was small and cold. The place was more like a cage. The walls had bars but on the other side was solid concrete. The door was large and metal.

She had tried using her newly found telekinesis to bust the door open, but it was no use. The door was too strong for her to break through.

These people wanted her baby. Her unborn, innocent child so they could keep it for their own power.

Ever since Kris had told them about people coming after the baby they had. Torrents of them. Demons, spirits, pagan gods, everything. The things that had her now were demons, at least fifteen of them sort of together as a group. She didn't know if they would kill her, she didn't know if they'd kill the baby, what she did know was Dean, Sam and Maggie had no idea where she was. She had never even gotten the chance to tell Dean what gender the baby was.

She had been here for hours. This place was cold and dark, they had hit her a few times and screamed at her even more. Any other time she would have kicked their ass from here to Kingdom Come, but she had a baby now, she couldn't risk losing it.

She buried her face half in her knees, half in her stomach, and cried. She was terrified at what these things might do.

Suddenly she heard a loud noise and people yelling.

"Oh God," She whispered. "Now what?"

The yelling got louder and louder. Loud bangs echoed through the building, along with the screaming, the chaos was incredible.

Then, as suddenly as it began, it stopped with a final boom.

She heard footsteps moving down the hall toward her cell.

_This is it. I'm dead I just know it. _Tears still fell down her face. Her heart pounded and she could see the shadow of a person under the door. She buried her face again and slid deeper into the corner she was in.

The door opened and light fell on her but she didn't look up. The footsteps moved toward her at a quick pace. She could sense someone beside her, kneeling.

A hand slid under her chin and gently lifted her face.

Once her eyes met green orbs she wrapped her arms around the man's neck as tightly as she could. She was still crying but not for the same reason.

"Shh," Dean soothed. "It's alright Lauren. I got you, I got you." His arms were around her and almost enveloped her completely. His face was next to hers, he could feel the tears running down her face. He turned his head and gently kissed her cheek. She pulled away for a moment, looking into his eyes, her own watery.

"It's a girl." She sobbed. "It's a girl." Dean smiled and she buried her face in his shirt. He slipped his arm under both of her legs, his other arm supporting her back, and hoisted her up. Dean walked out of the dark room and into the light, Lauren's eyes remained closed. He stepped over the body of the demons he had killed with the Colt. He felt bad about the people who were still inside but he didn't have another choice. Half of them looked dead anyway.

Lauren felt the strange movement and went to lift her head. Dean gently pushed her head back down. "Don't look baby."

Once they were outside Lauren lifted her head and looked at him.

"Dean what's wrong?" She asked. Dean looked at her, his brows coming together when he saw the bruises on her face. He tilted her head side to side, running his thumb over the dark purple one on her jaw. "I'm okay." She said. He carefully set her down on her feet, her gaze unbroken. "Now what's wrong?"

"Don't worry about it right now." He assured, smiling slightly. "I'll tell you later, right now you calm down." She opened the passenger side door and got in the car, unable to shake this feeling like something was horribly wrong, something he was hiding from her.

--Will Dean tell her? Stay tuned to find out!--


	2. Welcome to Vegas

--Did you guys like chapter 1? I hope so!--

2

"Alright," Lauren said as they walked into the motel room, not noticing Maggie and Sam's presence. "Now are you gonna tell me what's bothering you or am I gonna have to beat it out of you?" Maggie's eyes grew and her mouth opened halfway. She looked at Sam, brows drawn together out of sheer anger.

"_He hasn't told her?"_ She mouthed. Sam shook his head. Maggie folded her arms over her chest.

"Lauren," Dean said, touching her arm as a gesture for her to sit down next to him. "You just got kidnapped baby can we, ya know take it easy for a little while?" Lauren's face was reddening her expression getting more and more stern by the second.

Thinking quickly Sam grabbed Maggie's arm and pulled her toward the door. Lauren jumped slightly, just noticing they were there.

"We'll leave you guys alone." Sam said before Maggie could protest anything. Lauren felt the anxiety in Maggie's stomach, like she knew what Dean was going to tell her. Sam shut the door, leaving Lauren and Dean alone.

Dean scowled at the door, pissed at Sam for ditching him.

"Dean." Lauren said firmly. Her hormones were starting to kick in and if he didn't act fast, she might just punch him.

"Alright, alright." He said. "You remember a few months ago when I had to go up North to find Sam?" Lauren nodded. "That hunt we killed Yellow-Eyes?" She nodded again. "Something happened up there, that...that's I didn't tell you." Dean took a few deep breaths before continuing. "Sam and these other psychics were stuck up there. Yellow-Eyes was trying to get somebody to run his army. It ended up being Sam and this other guy Jake." Dean stopped again. Breathing deeply. "Jake stabbed Sam in the back before I could get there in time. He was right in front of me and..." He blinked feverently, pushing the tears that had formed in his eyes. "That ass cut Sam's spine right in half. I didn't think it was that bad, I really didn't." Again he paused. Lauren's expression was pained and confused. "He died Lauren," He whispered. "Right there in my arms. Just gone." Lauren felt tears pool in her own eyes.

Dean lifted his gaze from the floor to meet her own. "What was I supposed to do? I couldn't just let Sam die I had to...do something..." He trailed off at the end. Lauren was suddenly horrified.

"Dean...you didn't." She said shakily.

"I didn't want to make a deal with the bitch I just," Tears formed in his eyes again. "He's my brother. What was I supposed to do?"

Lauren looked at her hands. "Are you telling me that you only have ten years with me and our baby?" Dean blinked again and a tear slipped down his cheek.

"No," He said shaking his head. "The bitch only gave me one." Lauren jumped to her feet, Dean stood as well. Her eyes were full of rage, and pain.

"WHAT?" She screamed. "ONE YEAR? ONE? How could you-? Why would-? GuuAHHH!" She threw her arms over her head and let them fall to her sides.

"Lauren I'm sorry." Dean said quietly.

"And you waited this long to tell me? Four months? You-! I-!" She was at a loss for words. Dean opened his mouth to speak again. Lauren interrupted him, by punching him dead in the face. He staggered back for a moment.

Tears fell down Lauren's face, contorted with hurt and rage. She walked closer to him and started punching his chest.

"How could you do this to us?" She screamed. "How am I supposed to raise her alone?" Dean winced as she hit him but let her keep going. "I hate you! I hate you! I HATE YOU!" Dean wrapped his arms around her. As he did she collapsed against him, tired from her outburst and overcome with sobs.

"God Lauren I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry." Lauren's head was on his chest, soaking his shirt with tears.

"What am I gonna do?" She whispered. Dean didn't answer, he couldn't. She hugged him tighter, her stomach pressing against him. "What am I gonna do?"

"I'm sorry." Dean repeated. She continued to cry for several minutes, after which Dean lifted her in his arms and sat down on the bed, setting her legs over his lap, holding her like a child. Her face was buried in his neck, her sobs shaking both her and him. Tears slid silently down his face. He'd never been more sorry about anything in his life.

How long she cried Dean didn't know, he just held her. When she finally did stop crying Dean realized quickly she had cried herself to sleep. He stood again and laid her on the bed. He pulled the comforter up to her chest and pushed a tendril of hair out of her face.

He stood and sighed, quietly walking out the door and closing it behind him.

"Welcome to Vegas Dean." He said, looking out at the bright Vegas strip a few miles away.

"Dean." Sam's voice said behind him. Dean turned. "We gotta hunt." Dean nodded.

"Lay it on me Sammy."

* * *

"Well," Sam said once he and Dean had gone into his motel room. "It might be up our alley. I was actually going to ask you if you thought it was or not."

"Either way it's really creepy." Maggie said. Sam smiled lightly.

"There's been five murders in the past week."

"It's Vegas Sam." Dean retaliated.

"Strange ones. Anyway," He tossed Dean a file that was about an inch thick. "A little boy died out in the burbs a few weeks ago. His dad was a doctor, he was the one who killed the kid, said the boy was possessed. Also said the kid killed his mom and his neighbor." Dean's brows raised. "The one before that was a guy who got shot in the eye...with an arrow."

"An arrow?" Dean asked. Sam nodded.

"Yeah the guy was VP to a casino owner. When the owner died his son took over instead of him. Turned out the guy was a real psycho."

"So this guy was a power behind the throne. Liked to be the puppet master for the guy on charge." Sam nodded again.

"Next was a woman who was beaten to death with a door-stopper. The guy who did it said she was holding him hostage. Broke his legs. Anyway, next was a St. Bernard that attacked this woman. Just tore her to shreds out of nowhere. Next was a woman that died in a large house. No suspects, no witnesses. But it was local legend that the house was severely haunted. The last one was a guy that tried to chop off his ex-wife's head with a shovel and actually did to the guy she cheated on him with."

"Why does this sound familiar?" Dean asked. "Like really familiar."

"It's Stephen King." Lauren said, making all of them jump. They turned and looked up at her from their positions around the small table. "Pet Semetary, The Eyes of the Dragon, Misery, Cujo, Rose Red, and Secret Window." Dean slapped his forehead.

"I knew that!" He yelled, a triumphant smile on his face. Sam and Maggie rolled their eyes in unison. Lauren smiled slightly.

"Yeah sure ya did baby." She said.

"How did you know all that?" Sam asked. Lauren shrugged.

"I did a lot of reading when I was younger." She sat down next to the rest of them, looking at the pictures. "I think our best bet is to go to the house where Mr. Rainey died. See if there's anything there."

"Mr. who?" Maggie asked.

"Name of the guy in the movie." Lauren explained. "I think we should go tomorrow, it's way the hell out there and it's been a long night. I actually think we could go during the day. Nobody's around out there."

"Sam and I'll go tomorrow. You girls stay here. I don't want you out in the heat." Dean told her. Lauren sighed.

"I never get to have fun anymore." She said. Dean laughed. "We'll see you guys tomorrow." Lauren turned and walked out of Maggie and Sam's room. Dean followed shortly, shutting the door behind him.

"You think she took it well?" Maggie asked.

"I think that little show was for us."

--Like the whole Stephen King thing? Push the button and let me know!!--


	3. Not Telling

--Hey y'all!--

3

Lightning flashes, again and again. The walls seem to swirl around in green and black pigments. They look almost translucent. The black metal ropes hang side to side over the bottomless pit. Everywhere. It's cold and hot at the same time. Other than you and the chains, there is no one.

She hears a voice, echoing over the crashes of thunder. What it's saying is hard to make out. She turns and sees something far below her. She moves closer and closer to it, going straight down. The voice gets louder and clearer as she descends. The figure gets clearer too. She realizes with a start it's a person. She listens to the voice and finally understands what it is saying.

"SAAMM!" Sam? Why would it be saying..? Oh God. "SAAAMMM! SOMEBODY HELP ME!" She tries to turn back and stop approaching this person. Before she has to see his face. She stops right above him, finally able to see his face, and the rest of him.

His shirt was drenched in sweat, blood coming from his mouth. Four of the chains were wrapped around his wrists and his ankles, suspending him above the dark abyss lying on his back. A large metal hook was stuck through the skin beside his neck, between his shoulder. The other was going through his side. He looked scared, and in pain. His face was covered in a sheen of sweat...he didn't seem to see her.

"SAAAAMM!" Her heart ached, she wanted to help this man, and even though she reached out to touch him, her hand disappeared before she could. The man's breath hitched as he tried to breathe, he coughed slightly.

"Dean," She tried to say, her mouth moved but no sound came out. "Dean!" Still silence. He looked so terrified, and hurt.

She reached out again, trying to save him, trying to tell him she was there and it would be alright. As soon as she did she was yanked back farther and farther away, leaving him in this awful place...Leaving him in Hell.

* * *

"NO!" Lauren screamed, sitting bolt upright in the bed. She was drenched in a cold sweat, heart pounding in sync with her head. Dean jumped and sat up halfway.

"Wus wrong?" He asked, sleep thick in his voice. Lauren turned and hugged him tight, his warm skin against her own. "Lauren wussamatter?" He asked, hugging her back. She shook her head and hugged him tighter. "Baby..." His voice was clearer, like he was starting to wake up. "Vision?" Lauren shuddered.

"God I hope not." She nuzzled her face deeper into his neck.

"Baby what's wrong?"

"Dean please, just hold me." She pleaded. The cold metal of her necklace holding his ring touched his chest. "Just hold me." She repeated.

"Always." He whispered. Her hand touched next to his shoulder, making sure she still couldn't feel where the hook had been.

"Love me?" She asked, needing to hear it. Dean smiled gently and ran his fingers through her hair.

"Forever." He breathed. She sighed and relaxed entirely against him. Dean laid down, holding her to him. She leaned against him and closed her eyes, trying to lose the fear she had about where he was gonna be in eight months, and that after that she would never see him again.

* * *

"Can I go _please_?" Lauren asked for the hundredth time. Dean shook his head.

"This guy's place is out in the desert and the temperature's supposed to be 98. You aren't goin' anywhere." He said firmly. Lauren huffed and folded her arms.

"Why can't I go?" Maggie whined, which Sam thought was adorable.

"After yesterday Lauren isn't going anywhere alone." Sam said. "I need you to stay here and make sure she's alright." Lauren gave Sam a look that said "Heloo? I'm right here!" "Not that you can't take care of yourself." He added.

"Let Maggie go with you," Lauren said. "I'll be okay."

"I don't think so." Dean said. "She's staying, you're staying, got it?" Maggie sat down on the bed.

"I think it's him you need to be worried about." Lauren said, inclining her head toward Sam. "He's already got his ass killed once." Maggie giggled slightly at her joke. Sam looked at her, brows raised.

"What? She's gotta point." Maggie said, ending meekly. "It was kinda funny."

"Yeah hilarious, let's go Dean." He grabbed Dean's arm, who was doing his best not to laugh, and left the room.

"Okay," Maggie said once they were gone. "Now that they're gone, are you okay?" Lauren hung her head and sighed.

"No, not really." She said. "I'm really scared." She sat down next to Maggie on the bed.

"Sam's doing everything he can to find a way to save him." Maggie assured. "And I know he will."

"I'm just worried if he doesn't. What am I supposed to tell our baby? 'Mommy where's my Daddy?' 'Oh sorry honey, you're Daddy's in Hell!'" Maggie bowed her head.

"I know how bad this is Lauren I really do," Maggie said. "And I want you to know that I wanted to tell you from day one. Sam made me swear I wouldn't, and I can't break a promise." Lauren nodded. She knew it was against what Maggie believed in to go against her word.

"I just don't know what to do." Lauren said.

"Me either."

* * *

Sam and Dean continued to walk up the vast driveway, sweating profusely in the sweltering heat. They each had abandoned their shirts about a half a mile back, though it didn't seem to help much. They had the shirts slung over their shoulders now. The air was hot and humid, though there was no breeze to be found. Sweat dripped down each of their lean bodies, and Dean couldn't stop complaining.

"Dude it is so damn HOT!" He bellowed wiping sweat off of his forehead for the hundredth time. "This was not my idea of going to Vegas."

"The more you bitch about it the worse it gets." Sam said. "Besides what do you expect. Gambling and show girls?"

"You forgot the white tigers but yes." Dean snapped. "At least that's what I was hoping."

"Look I can see the house would you chill?"

"In this heat? Are you friggin' joking?" He snarled. Sam laughed lightly and rolled his eyes. Dean reached behind him and adjusted the gun in his waist band. "This gun is friggin' killin' me man." He grunted. Sam laughed.

They finally reached the front door and twisted the knob pushing it open.

The air inside the house was somehow hotter, stale, and reeked.

"God my kingdom for air conditioning." Dean mumbled. Sam pulled the EMF meter and turned it on. After a few minutes Dean asked: "Anything?"

"Yeah, a little. Not much though, you?" Sam said. Dean had been looking around the apartment for some kind of sign of, well anything. A piece of paper caught his eye and he picked it up.

"Yeah." He handed Sam the paper and watched his eyes grow and his brow cock.

"Boogie Man?" Sam asked. "This guy was nuts."

"Yeah...maybe."

"What?" Sam asked. Dean was usually the skeptic, not him.

"I don't know. There's a lot of people that were scared of the boogie man when they were kids..."

"Yeah and they stopped when they got older, because he doesn't exist." Dean nodded.

"I know I know. C'mon lets head back...out of the furnace and into the oven." Dean wasn't about to tell Sam about this one time, so far away it was so incredibly choppy, but it was something he remembered. Something he had never told anyone.

--I think that'll suffice for now. Review please!--


	4. Ancient History

4

**22 years ago...**

"But Daddy," Dean whined. "Why do you have to go? I don't like staying here alone." His two year old little brother was playing with toy cars on the floor, right now a Camaro was blowing up a Jaguar.

John hoisted the large bag over his shoulder and tousled Dean's soft blonde hair.

"You boys always do just fine without me. I won't be gone long, I'll be back before you wake up in the morning, just like I always am." John assured. Dean looked at the floor. "Dean is there somethin' wrong?" John asked, noticing his son's semi-hidden distress.

"It's nothin'." He said. John got down on one knee so he could face his son.

"Dean, what is it?" He asked. Dean's gaze remained on the crappy floor. "Look at me." Dean's head shot up at John's order. "What's a matter?" Dean bit his lower lip, his green eyes wide above the spatter of freckles across his nose.

"Every time you go, at night...the Boogie Man comes. He won't touch Sammy but he won't leave me alone."

"Are the Boogie Man's eyes black?" John asked, getting information without telling his son what to look for. Dean shook his head. "Does he blink in and out? Like he's there one second and then gone the next?" Dean shook his head again. "Is it really late when the Boogie Man shows up?" Dean nodded. John sighed, relieved and chuckled. "It's just a bad dream son. The Boogie Man is _not _real. He can't hurt you okay?" He said sternly, standing. He grabbed the bag again and headed for the door. He looked at Sam, then back to Dean. "Watch out for Sammy alright?"

"Yes sir." He said quickly.

"Bye Sammy." John said. Sam looked up from his toys, a dimpled grin spread across his face.

"Bye bye Daddy." John smiled slightly.

"Remember Dean. Door stays locked, don't let anyone in unless it's me. If I'm not back by tomorrow call Bobby. What's Bobby's number?" he prompted. Dean brought his brows together, thinking.

"555-1968. After your car." He said, sure he was right. John smiled again.

"Good boy." He said and closed the door behind him.

* * *

Sammy was asleep in the other room. Dean was out watching the beat up television in the front room. Another info-mercial was coming on, and he was about ready to kill the guy who invented Oxy-Clean. Suddenly the screen flickered. Dean walked up to it and lightly hit the side of the TV. It flickered more and more violently until it shut off completely, plunging the room into darkness. Dean turned the knob forward and back several times, trying to turn it on, it didn't.

He ran to the lightswitch and wiggled it up and down. The lights remained off.

"Oh no." Dean said quietly. "It's not real, it's not real." Dean looked toward the darkest spot in the room, the far corner, and saw the familiar dark form appear. His heart pounded violently in his chest, his palms started to sweat. Instinctively, he moved in front of the door where Sam was sleeping. The figure drew closer, it's black skull of a head grinning maliciously at him. "Daddy said you aren't real!" He whispered harshly. The cloaked thing glided to a stop about a foot in front of him. Dean was backed against the door, bottom lip trembling along with the rest of him.

The figure's eyes were nothing but hollow sockets, its hands skeletal along with the rest of it that Dean could see besides what the large billowing black cloak covered.

"Daddy said you aren't real! I'm asleep, I just know I am!" He pinched his arm a few times, trying to wake himself up. "C'mon Dean wake up, wake up!" The Boogie Man laughed, his voice hollow, a dull hiss behind it. Dean flinched and started to pull himself inward.

"Your Daddy doesn't know anything!" It bellowed. "Your Daddy let your Mommy die! It's all his fault!"

"Don't talk about Mommy!" Dean yelled back, pushing tears back from his eyes. The Boogie Man leaned forward, his face extremely close to Dean's.

"You should have ran faster Dean." He said quietly. "Maybe you could have saved Mommy from dying. Saved Mommy from the fire, all that nasty fire."

"Shut up!" Dean yelled, tears rolling down his cheeks. "Stop talking about her!" The thing rose high above him and cackled.

Instantly Dean could see the fire, smell the smoke and another awful scent he didn't know. He felt Daddy put Sammy in his arms and told him to run.

Once he was outside he could still hear his mother and father. Screaming. Daddy ran outside, Dean waited for Mommy to follow. She was okay, she had to be okay. But she never came out, and Daddy said she was gone...and couldn't come back.

Dean snapped back to the motel room. He was sobbing, legs pulled up to his chest, the Boogie Man gone.

He woke up the nest morning to Sam shaking him awake, asking for juice. He never told Sam about what he had seen, or that it continued until he was nine. At least once a month the thing would show up, calling himself the Boogie Man and bringing up the things that hurt Dean most. Then after awhile he went away, and Dean brushed it off as nightmares, that Dad was right. The Boogie Man didn't exist.

* * *

"Are you kidding me?"

"I swear to God that's what the report said. Doesn't that sound a little...familiar?"

"Trust me Dean I know my horror movies." Sam said. "A woman that looked like an old hag killing a bunch of teenagers with a video camera?"

"Blair Witch Project." Dean stated. Lauren was standing behind him, shaking her head.

"Yeah and a guy in a hockey mask with a Machete?"

"Friday The 13th. I especially like the whole chick talking about a ghost in her bathroom."

"Yeah," Lauren said. "Did she look like Michell Pfeiffer?" She asked sarcastically.

"Huh, I wish." He replied, receiving a punch in the arm from Lauren.

"Why are we talking about Michelle Pfeiffer?" Maggie asked. Lauren shook her head. "Hey I don't like horror movies. They scare me."

"And you hunt for a living." Lauren stated, seeking out the logic in that fact. "What Lies Beneath. That's the movie we're talking about." Maggie nodded.

"Oh, never seen it." She said. Sam rolled his eyes and smiled.

"So we aren't even done looking at the King murders and now we have to worry about people dying via horror movie?"

"Maybe this thing is trying to scare people." Dean suggested. "Use what they're familiar with. Books, horror movies. Do the killings have anything in common?"

"Uh-huh," Lauren said. "Police found the word Boogie Man somewhere at each scene. The Blair Witch reenactment it was carved in a tree. The Jason killing was in the leaves, it was spelled out in the friggin' leaves. And when it came to Miss Michelle it was written in the steam on the bathroom mirror."

"This could just be a serial killer trying to panic people." Maggie suggested. "But then again, how could he have killed the woman in the house?"

"The Boogie Man is not real." Lauren said. "My parents told me all the time he wasn't. It's just like monsters under the bed. Just something to scare kids." Dean looked at the floor. "What is it?" Lauren asked. He looked up at her.

"Ancient history."

--More soon!--


	5. Will You?

5

"Dean why didn't you ever tell me?" Sam asked. "Maybe we could have done something about it."

"Dad said it wasn't real. I believed him. Every time the thing would show up I convinced myself afterward that it was nothing but a nightmare. Until now I thought it was, now I'm starting to wonder." He said, trailing off.

"Hey, boy or girl?" Maggie asked Lauren, her question was so completely random Lauren had to think for a moment what the answer was. Sam and Dean were both giving her astounded looks.

"Uh, it's a girl Maggie but-" Lauren began before Maggie squealed. "Can we get back on topic?" Lauren yelled. Maggie closed her mouth and tried not to make any noise. Lauren grabbed the hem of her shirt and pulled it down so it covered her stomach completely, again. She reached into the pizza box in front of her and grabbed another slice.

"Uh, anyway," Dean said. "I have no clue how the hell this thing could be real. I mean if Dad said it wasn't, then it wasn't, end of story."

"I don't know Dean. This all seems really weird." Sam said. Maggie snorted.

"Well it's not like the thing appeared by itself." She said. Sam's eyes lit up, like a light bulb had just gone off over his head. He stood and walked over to Maggie, grabbing her shoulders and kissing her firmly on the lips.

"I love you so much." He said, grinning. Maggie shook her head.

"I should have good ideas more often." She said. She glanced at the pizza box next to her and gasped. "Lauren did you eat that whole thing?" Lauren looked in the box and grinned.

"Yeah, I guess I did." She said. Dean started laughing hysterically. "Why are you laughing?"

"Cause y-you're the first g-girl I've met that c-can beat me at eating a large p-p-pizza!" He giggled. Lauren's smile broadened.

"Well we all have our goals in life." She said. Dean stopped laughing and tried to calm himself down. Lauren pulled her shirt down again, suddenly jumping up. "Alright, that's it! I'm done!" She walked out of Maggie and Sam's motel room, slamming the door behind her.

"Where do ya think she went?" Sam asked. Dean and Maggie shrugged. Sam opened his laptop and booted it up.

"Are you gonna tell us what you're doin' Geek Boy?" Dean asked, receiving a scowl from Maggie. "I'm checkin' something out. Just bear with me okay?"

The door opened and Lauren came back in, her deep purple shirt gone, replaced with a light gray one about four sizes too big. "Dean I stole your shirt." She admitted. Dean cocked a brow.

"May I ask why?" He asked. She sighed.

"Cause none of mine fit." She said. Dean nodded and Lauren sat back down, a large bag of Twizzlers in her hand and one going into her mouth.

"Do you ever stop eating?" Lauren asked.

"I knew it." Sam said suddenly. "I looked up 'Boogie Man' on Google, 2,200,000 hits."

"Can you elaborate Sammy?" Dean asked.

"Tulpa. This thing has got to be a Tulpa." Sam said. Lauren nodded. Dean walked behind her and reached toward the bag of Twizzlers. Lauren glared at him.

"You touch one Twizzler you're pullin' back a nub." She snapped. Maggie laughed, Dean pulled his hand away. Lauren laughed too. "Baby I'm just kidding." She pulled out a Twizzler and held it up. Dean took it from her.

"Pshh, I know," Dean said. "So was I." Lauren laughed and rolled her eyes.

"Anyway," Sam said. "Think about it. How many kids are scared of the Boogie Man?"

"Thousands." Lauren said.

"Exactly. So enough energy is focused on this thing it's going to manifest." Sam said. "Dean, Dad _was _wrong. There was no way he could have known about it, especially since you were so young when it started."

"My question is how come it never came after you?" Dean asked. Sam shrugged.

"Maybe it only goes after the oldest." He suggested.

"But all the people killed were adults. Except that little boy that killed his mom."

"Maybe it's manipulating situations to scare people. Make people think what they see in the media is real. Or make them believe in the Boogie Man again." Sam said. Dean shuddered.

"Whoo-hoo!" Maggie said, throwing her head back. Sam laughed, Lauren rolled her eyes.

"Thank you Phoebe." She said. Maggie blushed.

"Who?" Sam asked.

"Charmed." Lauren, Maggie...and Dean said in unison. Lauren shook her head.

"I don't wanna know. Anyway, we need to figure out how to summon the Boogie Man?" Lauren asked. "How exactly do we do that?"

"Get scared." Sam said simply. "That's how it starts, or at least I think. That's what most of the lore said."

"How do you kill it?" Dean asked. Sam frowned.

"Doesn't say," Sam said. "Most of the time it says it just disappears. They usually aren't this elaborate though. They stick to 'naughty' children and hiding in closets."

"Maybe something's telling it what to do." Maggie suggested. "Something a little smarter, like a person or a demon."

"I don't know." Sam admitted.

"Well," Dean said, walking toward the door. "When you figure it out, tell us." He said walking out of the room, Lauren close behind.

* * *

They walked into their own room and resumed the usual silence they had been since Dean had told her about his deal. They had been acting normal in front of Sam and Maggie for their sake, not their own. Lauren sat down on the bed, as did Dean, only on the other side. He inhaled sharply, hissing slightly. Lauren turned.

"Are you okay?" Lauren asked. Dean nodded.

"Yeah, it's nothin'." He said. Lauren knew better. She focused solely on him. She felt a the skin on his back, tight and hot. She looked up.

"You've got a sunburn, bad." She said. Dean looked down.

"I hate it when you do that." He said. "It's cheating." Lauren shrugged.

She walked over to her bag and withdrew a bottle of aloe. "Don't ask why I have this." She said. She walked back over and opened the bottle. "Off." She said, tugging on Dean's sleeve. Dean pulled his shirt off carefully, wincing when it scraped across his the tender flesh on his bare back. Lauren winced too. The skin on his back was deep pink, a few shades lighter than red.

"Oh yeah it's not bad at _all._" She said sarcastically. She squirted some of the green gel into her hand and placed it on his back.

"Oo, cold!" Dean exclaimed. Lauren laughed lightly. She rubbed it across his burnt back as carefully as she could. Dean closed his eyes and relaxed, his body starting to move with her. His hand was on his pocket, he could feel the round object inside. He took a deep breath.

Lauren removed her hands. "There, better?" She asked. He nodded. "You're gonna want to leave your shirt off." She said.

"Why?" He asked.

"Well you're supposed to wear something loose fitting but all you T-shirts are tight." Dean nodded. Lauren turned and started to walk away.

"Lauren," Dean said, standing and walking up to her. "Look, I can't take this. The pretending for Maggie and Sam. The awkward silence. I hate it."

"What do you want me to do?" Lauren asked. "Pretend everything's okay? Like you aren't going to leave me and go to the worst place imaginable?" Dean grasped her hands in his.

"I just want you...to love me. I realize we only have a little bit of time but, we can at least love each other while we can. I don't want to lose you before I have to." Lauren put her hands on his chest.

"I know." She said. She looked up into his eyes, unable to believe one day she would never be able to again.

"Can you do something else for me?" Dean asked after a few moments. Lauren cocked her head to one side. Dean grabbed her hand, reaching into his pocket at the same time, and got down on one knee. "Will you marry me?"

--Whoo, Cliffie! You guys'll have to wait until Monday for her answer! Sorry!--


	6. Double the Shock

--Told ya so!--

6

"Will you marry me?" Lauren was stunned. She was certain she was dreaming, or this was some sort of joke. There was no way in hell Dean Winchester had just said those four words. The world had stopped spinning, time was standing still, it seemed the whole world was in shock of what had just happened. She was speechless, for a moment.

"W-what?" She asked. Dean looked down at the ring he held in his hand and then back up to her.

"Will you marry me?" He repeated. Lauren's mouth was half open. She was staring at Dean in disbelief, then it dawned on her he wanted an answer.

"When? Where?" She asked quickly. He smiled at her.

"Lauren where are we?" He asked. Lauren looked outside and it dawned on her what he meant. She turned back to him, still having this feeling of un-realism. A dream almost. She actually wondered for a moment it was a dream, that she would wake up at the climactic point of this and it had never happened.

"Vegas." Lauren said bluntly. She stared at him blankly. Dean stood up and grinned. "Wait, you wanna do this now?" She asked. Dean shrugged.

"Yeah, what the hell why not?" He said. He leaned his head against hers, his nose almost touching her own. "What've we got to lose?" He asked quietly. Lauren laughed.

"Alright." She said. "Yes Dean Winchester. I'll marry you." Dean grinned and kissed her. Lauren cherished this moment, tried to keep it in her head and never let it leave. His arms around her waist, literally lifting her off the ground, his soft lips on her own, begging for this kiss to last just a little longer, just like she was. Her arms were around his neck, drinking in his warm body and the smell of his skin. They broke apart and Dean turned, grabbing his shirt. He pulled it over his head and grabbed her hand.

"Let's go." He said. They went outside and headed toward the Impala.

"Wait," Lauren said, stopping short. "Shouldn't we get Maggie and Sam?" She asked. Dean's eyes lit up with recognition.

"Oh...right." Lauren laughed and turned, pounding on the motel door. Maggie answered.

"Lauren, what's wrong?" She asked. Lauren shook her head.

"Absolutely nothing. But I need you and Sam to get in your car and follow us." She said quickly. Maggie nodded and started to go back in the room to get Sam. "Oh yeah," Lauren said. Maggie turned back around. "Will you be my maid of honor?" Maggie's eyes grew.

"Oh my God you're kidding?" She said. Lauren shook her head. Maggie squealed and lunged forward, hugging Lauren extremely tight. "Ahh!" She squealed.

"Maggie," Lauren choked. "I need oxygen." Maggie let go and blushed.

"Sorry." She said meekly. "Oh, right, Sam." She turned and bolted back into the room. Lauren walked back toward Dean, smile in place.

"Well," Dean said. "Let's go get hitched."

* * *

"We gotta hold on, to what we got. It doesn't make a difference if we make it or not. We got each other, and that's a lot for love. We'll give it a shot! Whoa, we're halfway there. Whoaoa! Livin' on a prayer..." Lauren's voice echoed along with the radio from the bathroom shower. She ran her hand over her wet hair and stopped when it came back down, staring at the small diamond on the silver loop.

"I swear I bought it with cash only." Dean had told her. "No fake credit cards. Just fifty poker games and ten games of pool."

She smiled softly. They had been back for a few hours now, and it wasn't like they could do anything. The baby complicated things a bit.

Maggie had gone out for donuts, since it was too late for dinner but early enough for breakfast.

"Oh, we gotta hold on, ready or not. You live for the fight when that's all that you've got! Whoa, we're halfway there. Whoaoa, livin' on a prayer. Take my hand, and we'll make it I swear. Whoaoa, livin' on a prayer." The song faded out and Lauren sighed. She loved that song and always hated when it was over. She was playing a mix CD she had had since for at least ten years now in a crappy radio the motel had.

The next song started and she grinned.

_It's midnight Cinderella, but don't you worry none. Cause I'm Peter Peter, the pumpkin eater and the party's just begun..._

Lauren shook her head and turned off the water. The old Garth Brooks song made her reminisce terribly. She grabbed her towel and stepped out, drying herself off.

Once she was dressed she turned off the radio and walked out of the bathroom. Dean was laying on the bed, staring up at the ceiling, wearing only a pair of sweatpants.

"Hey good lookin'." She said, drying her hair. He turned and smiled softly at her.

"Hi Mrs. Winchester." He said. Lauren smiled and shook her head.

"I don't think I'll ever get used to that." She said. She laid down next to him on the bed, resting her head on his shoulder. "Do you think we did the right thing?" She asked.

"Yeah," Dean said. "We've only got a little bit of time, we should make the most of it." She rolled over on her side and looked at him.

"You're right." She said. "But if you ever talk like that again I'll kill you." He laughed lightly. She leaned forward and kissed him gently. He kissed her back, forcefully, almost viciously. Lauren pulled back and glared at him.

"Where's Dean?"

--Uh-oh! Cliffie again! Ain't I a stinker? Songs: Living on a Prayer, Bon Jovi; It's Midnight Cinderella, Garth Brooks--


	7. Darkness Within

--More story guys, enjoy!!--

7

"Where's Dean?" She asked, her face slowly turning to a scowl. She started to scoot away from this monster trying to be her husband...which, as she thought about it, sounded really weird. Dean stared blankly at her, or, well, Dean's face.

"Lauren, I'm right here, right in front of you." He said. Lauren shook her head, scowl deepening.

"I know how Dean kisses and it sure as hell isn't the way you did." She spat. Dean sighed and looked down, eyes shut.

"You know what?" He said darkly. "You're right." He looked up, eyes as black as night and grinned at her.

"SAM!" Lauren yelled. The demon grabbed her arms and turned her over on her back, his smile cold and dark. "Get off me!" She yelled, squirming under his vice like grip. He laughed and bent down, forcing his lips onto hers. Lauren bit down, hard, causing him to jump back. "SAAM!" Lauren screamed. The demon drew his arm back and slapped his hand across Lauren's face. She winced and continued to struggle under him.

Suddenly the door burst open.

"Dean!" Sam bellowed. "What the hell are you doing?" The demon looked up and met Sam's eyes, which turned fiery when he realized what had taken over his brother. Blood dripped down Dean's lip and onto his neck. He grinned maliciously at Sam.

"Sorry Sammy but Lauren and I need to have a chat." Sam flew against the wall, pinned. Lauren stopped struggling, because she couldn't move. "You made this too easy." Dean said to Lauren. "Taking the bait like fish. How sweet."

"What are you talking about ass-hole?" She spat.

"I'm talking about the hunt you've been on. My Tulpa wreaking havoc and distracting the four of you. Too sweet, too easy." He smirked. Lauren sneered at him.

"This was all a distraction. Everything that thing did. What kind of demon are you?"

"One that has been around longer than you can imagine. I've recently left Hell, thanks to the two Winchesters. I decided to come here, after you, and your baby. That's all I really want."

"Who are you?" Sam asked.

"My name can not be pronounced by you pathetic humans. A lesser term would be the demon of fear. I create it, harvest it, and live off of it. That's why I took over Dean here. I am creating so much fear and pain for him right now it's like an all you can eat buffet. He just has so much to work with."

"What the hell are saying?" Lauren asked harshly. Fear bent down, his face smug inches from hers.

"You don't know do you?" He asked. Lauren said nothing. "You have no clue about all of that nasty pain he has built up inside him. I'm surprised, considering your new empathy power. Well, here."

Lauren gasped. Her heart felt like it was being ripped out of her chest, an extremely heavy weight was on her shoulders. She felt hollow inside. So much agony seemed to consume her, both in her head and in her heart. She felt utterly worthless, and terrified. God it hurt so much. Lauren was pushing tears out of her eyes as it got worse and worse. Then it was gone. She could still feel it slightly.

"He carries that around with him, every day." Fear said. Every damn day this is how he feels. And you didn't even know." He laughed lightly and leaned forward kissing her neck because she was unable to move. But she could move her head.

She lunged her head forward and bit his neck as hard as she could. The demon sat up quickly, gripping his neck. The hold he had on Sam and Lauren faltered.

Lauren took the opportunity and rolled off the bed, away from him. The demon looked up and tried to go after her, but when he reached the end of the mattress he stopped, and scowled.

"You bitch." He said. Lauren grinned and lifted the bed skirt, revealing the Devil's Trap she had just closed with the black Sharpie under the bed. She stood and dusted herself off, smiling.

"Ya know for someone who's been around for centuries you're pretty stupid. You should have known someone as good at this game as me would have security." She said. Sam was off the wall, standing slowly. "Would you like to do the honors Sam?" Sam scowled.

"With pleasure." Sam started the exorcism, Lauren grinned. "

Have fun on your trip." When Sam was about halfway through She stopped him. "Sam, it's not working." The demon laughed.

"What's wrong?" He asked. "You've never had this not work before?"

"There has to be a binding symbol somewhere." Sam whispered. The demon laughed again.

"You mean this one?" He asked. He pulled the waistband of Dean's pants down a few centimeters and they saw the small symbol. Lauren scowled and walked toward the monster. The demon reached under the pillow and pulled out a large knife, Dean's Bowie knife, and shoved it against his wrist. Lauren stopped short.

"Ah, ah, ah." Fear said in a mock-sweet voice. "I cant' feel much physical pain you, or I, cause him but he sure can. And it would only add to the hell I'm putting him through now." Lauren scowled bitterly. "So as far as I can see it," He dragged the knife over Dean's bicep so hard it drew a fair amount of blood. "I can do whatever I want and there's nothing you can do about it." He pushed the knife into Dean's stomach and dragged it up, the shallow cut gleaming red. Lauren clenched her teeth and balled her fists.

"You bastard." She spat. Fear grinned and brought the knife next to Dean's neck, where Lauren had bit him, and pushed. Lauren winced. "Stop it." She said. If anything her request had made things worse.

Sam was enraged to the point he wanted to attack the thing inside his brother and force it to come out.

Lauren's face was red, and gaining color by the second as more blood fell from Dean's body, and he was the one doing it. She could see this thing flying up and hitting the ceiling, so hard it knocked the knife from his hands.

"You should hear how loud he is screaming right now." The demon said. "God does he want this to end." Lauren felt tears form in her eyes. Sam took a step forward. Before he could do anything Dean flew up, striking the ceiling, knocking the knife out his hands. Lauren ran and grabbed the knife. Dean landed a second later, the monster inside dazed. She grabbed his waist band and revealed the symbol on his hip.

"Sorry Dean." She said and sliced the knife across the circle at the top, breaking the spell the symbol had. She stumbled back out of the Devil's Trap, knife in hand.

"Son of a bitch." The demon said, glaring at the two. Sam swallowed.

"That comes in handy huh?" He asked. Lauren nodded. Sam began the exorcism again. Fear smiled and closed his eyes.

"I suppose I should finish with him." Minutes later black smoke poured from Dean's mouth, the demon of fear going back to where he belonged. Dean's eyes were still open, his breath labored and shallow. Lauren darted over to the bed and caught Dean before he fell.

"I'm sorry baby." She said. Dean shook his head.

"Thank you." He rasped. She hugged him, and focused, putting her empathy to work. She didn't like what she felt.

"Dean are you alright?" She asked.

"Hey I got the do-" Maggie began, bursting the door open, plastic bags in hand. She looked around the room, startled at what she saw. "Nuts." She looked at Sam. "Did I miss anything important?" She asked. Sam smiled and nodded.

"Are you alright?" Lauren repeated. Dean was struggling to keep his eyes open.

"Yeah I'm...I'm-" He started coughing violently, pushing away from her, his face turning red. He finally gagged, and Lauren's eyes grew at the amount of red liquid that poured over his lips. Dean collapsed in her arms, eyes shut.

"Dean? Dean?" Lauren yelled frantically. "Call 911! Dean! Dean talk to me baby! Dean..!"

--Not another cliffie! Oh well, you just push that lovely purple button and tell me how much you hate them. Okay? Okay.--


	8. Hospital Blues

--Uh-oh, is Dean alright? Let's watch and find out... (Warning, F word used in this chap)--

8

"I don't care how fucking busy he is!" Lauren bellowed. "I need to talk to this doctor NOW DAMMIT!" Maggie flinched, as did the nurse Lauren was screaming at.

"I'll see what I can do ma'am." She scuffled away quickly down the hall toward the ER. Lauren collapsed in the chair she had recently risen from in the hospital waiting room. Sam had his face buried in his hands, Maggie's arm around his shoulder, head resting on his back.

Lauren ran a hand through her hair, at an utter loss of what to do. They hadn't even been here an hour, but Lauren wanted answers now. They had shoved her out of the emergency room before she could ask anyone anything, or say anything to Dean. Now she was extremely frustrated and wanted only two things, to see this doctor, and for Dean to be okay.

"Mrs. O'Connell?" A voice said, using the fake name they had on their insurance cards. Lauren looked up, as did Sam and Maggie. An older man, most likely in his early fifties, stood in front of her in a long white coat. His hair was mostly gray, but specks of black were scattered throughout. Lauren stood. The doctor looked at Lauren's stomach, then at her face, a sad expression on his.

"I'm Mrs. O'Connel." Lauren said, stepping forward. "And I want answers now dammit." She snapped.

"I'm Dr. Watson."

"I don't give a shit, what's happening to my husband?"

"As soon as he gets out of surgery he's being transferred to the ICU."

"How, is, he, doing?" Lauren said slowly, trying not to scream.

"He's not doing so good ma'am. The lacerations on his torso were easy enough but he had some internal bleeding that is being dealt with why he'd in surgery now. I only have one thing to ask you," Dr. Watson said. Lauren sighed, waiting for this dumb ass to ask her what happened. "Was this a demon or some kind of monster that did this?"

Lauren's jaw dropped. "W-wait a second, you know about...about supernatural stuff?" Dr. Watson grinned.

"Hunters need doctors too. And I wasn't much of a fighter." He said. Lauren sighed.

"It was a demon. Possessed him. I guess it tore him up while it was in there." She said softly. Dr. Watson sighed as well.

"I'll let you know when you can see him." He said and walked away. Maggie's eyes were wide, Sam's weary.

"What luck huh?" Maggie said.

"Yeah," Sam scoffed. "Luck." He turned and headed toward the door. "I need some air." He said.

* * *

"Dammit Dean." Sam whispered through tears. "Why now? Why does this have to happen now?" He put a hand over his face and sobbed. "I need you Dean. I still need my big brother. Please just pull through this." The area around him was silent, subtracting the sound of his sobs. "I don't know what to do." He cried. "I don't know what to do." He felt someone touch his shoulder and he turned.

Maggie was standing behind him, a small smile on her face, sadness in her eyes. He turned around and hugged her, burying his face in her shirt.

"Shh," Maggie soothed. "It's alright honey. It'll be alright."

"I'm so scared." He whispered. "I'm scared about right now, I'm scared about Dean's deal. What if I can't save him Maggie?"

"Don't say that," Maggie said, shaking her head. "You're gonna save Dean. You are. There is no doubt in my mind that you will. You've practically been killing yourself trying to find a way to get him out of it. You will save him."

Sam didn't reply. He cried into Maggie's neck, his sobs shaking her. She ran her fingers through his hair. "It's gonna be okay honey." She said.

"I hope so."

* * *

"You're abandoning her, both of them. What are they gonna do without you there? Someone could take your child and raise it to be evil. Lauren could die, Sammy could die. And it's all your fault you useless bastard."

"No," Dean moaned. "They can't, they can't." He was on his hands and knees, pounding the stone floor underneath him with his fist. The same thing that haunted his childhood was standing over him now. Tormenting him just like it used to.

"You have no idea what you're in for Dean. You have no IDEA what hell is like." The thing glided closer. "You are the most pathetic thing I have ever seen. You couldn't even protect your baby brother from the things you hate most. He died. That's why you're in this mess in the first place. Because your stupid ass couldn't save him."

Dean knew what was coming next, and he was right.

He could smell the rain still fresh on the ground. He saw Jake behind Sam, plunging the knife into his back, snapping his spine.

"NOO!" It was happening all over again, right before his eyes. That same gut wrenching feeling he had that night.

Sam in his arms, life gone, and the only one to blame was himself. For the second time in his life he wasn't fast enough.

* * *

Dean opened his eyes to a dark room, two muddled shapes were across the room, and another one right next to him, her hand running over his forehead.

"Bad dream?" She asked. Dean nodded. Lauren's brows came together. "Dean, you're shaking." She said. Dean hadn't noticed. He hadn't noticed a lot of things. But he was starting to. Like the disinfectant smell of the room, or the tubes going into his arm, or the monitor next to him beeping.

"Why am I in a hospital?" He asked hoarsely, surprised to find his throat sore.

"Because you puked a pint of blood." She said bluntly.

"Seriously?" Dean asked softly. Lauren sighed.

"Yeah." She felt how scared he was, she wished she knew why. She caressed his cheek. "Just rest baby." She said.

"You too." Dean said hoarsely. "I can see Maggie and Sam already are." Lauren looked at the ground.

"I will, I just want you to sleep now okay?" She asked. The monitor keeping track of his heart beat sped ever so slightly. "Dean what's wrong?" He looked away.

"I keep having these dreams," He rasped. "In them you die, the baby dies, Sam dies...I can't take this much longer. I get so scared..." He trailed off. Lauren wrapped her arms around him and hugged him. That's why he was shaking. He was so petrified to enter his nightmares again it was making him tremble.

After awhile Dean's breathing deepened, and remained that way. Lauren let him go and gently laid him back on the bed. She was glad he was asleep, and glad no one could see the tears falling from her eyes.

* * *

**Three hours earlier...**

"There's something you need to know." Dr. Watson said. Maggie had gone to check on Sam outside already.

"What is it?" Lauren asked, voice shaky.

"The, the chances of Dean making it to tomorrow are very slim." He said.

"H-how slim?" She asked, heart in her throat, fear rising.

"There's a 31 chance Dean will make it through the night." He said grimly. Tears pooled and fell down her face before she could stop them.

"31? Th-that's not enough. There has to be something you can do. There has to be!" She sobbed. Watson shook his head.

"We've done all we can. It's in God's hands now." He touched her shoulder. "I'm sorry." He said.

"Can I see him?" She asked. Watson nodded.

She walked down the hallway and pushed the tears back.

_God please. I'm begging you. Please don't take him, not yet. I still need him, don't take him yet._

She wiped her eyes as she entered Dean's room, there would be time to cry later, and now was that time.

--More tomorrow!!--


	9. Waking Up

--Hi guys!--

9

Lauren woke up but refused to open her eyes. She was afraid that if she did, the worst would have happened. Dean would be gone, and there was nothing she could do. She would be totally alone, and have to tell Sam.

_Let him be okay, _She prayed. _Please God, let him be okay._ She risked it and lifted her head, barely peeking over her folded arms.

"Nice of you to join me." Dean said. He was propped up slightly on his pillows, remote in hand, flipping rapidly through channels. "Alright," He said hoarsely. "I give up." He shut off the TV and tossed the remote onto the table next to his bed. The action resulted in a loud clatter. Lauren looked over at the rocking chair in the corner to see Maggie and Sam still asleep. She looked at Dean and grinned.

He was extremely paled by the loss of blood and dark circles reigned supreme around his eyes. His voice was still gravelly and raspy. He looked exhausted, but at least he was alive. "Why are you lookin' at me like that?" He asked. Lauren stood up from the chair she had been sitting in, her arms had been folded and her head resting on them, and kissed Dean. She hugged him as tightly as she possibly could. His arms wrapped around her as well, needing to feel her after the hellish night he had just been through.

"Are you okay?" He asked her, they had broke apart. She smiled and kissed him again.

"I'm perfect." She said, still not letting him go. She was incredibly relieved.

"Did something happen that I need to know about?" He asked. Lauren shook her head.

"No." She said. Dean's brow cocked.

"Sweet-heart I can see right through you." He stated. Lauren looked down and loosened her grip on him.

"It's not important." She said. Dean lifted her chin. She was surprised at how weak his grip was. He looked into her eyes, deep, like he was trying to see what she was hiding. Lauren couldn't tell him no when he looked at her like that. She sighed. "The chances of you making it to this morning were very slim." Dean's brows raised.

"How slim we talkin'?" He asked, a little worried about her answer.

"31 percent." She said softly.

"Holy shit." Dean whispered. Lauren nodded. "Well, I guess they don't call me the miracle man for nothing." He said. Lauren's eyebrows came together.

"And by chance would 'they' be?" She asked, hand going to her hip in a defensive posture. Dean shifted his gaze.

"Nobody important?" He ventured. Lauren nodded.

"You're damn right." She spat angrily.

"Baby you know you're my one and only." He said, kissing her cheek, trying to get her mind off of the subject. She smirked.

"And you're mine." She leaned forward, her face inches from his. "But if I ever hear a name of one of 'they', I will kill them. That's a promise." She said darkly. Dean smiled.

"You're so hot when you're angry." He said, leaning forward to kiss her again. Lauren sat back and avoided him.

"Nice try." She said. She heard rustling in the corner of the room. She turned and saw Sam and Maggie starting to sitr.

"Rise and shine Sammy." Dean said. Sam looked at his brother and smiled.

"You're alright." Sam said, the sleep still evident in his voice.

"You ain't gettin' rid of me that easy." Dean grinned.

"Damn," Maggie said. "I was just gettin' my hopes up." Lauren rolled her eyes.

"Ha ha, very funny Maggs." She said. Maggie shrugged. "Dean?" Lauren asked. Dean turned. "How the hell did that thing get inside you?"

"While you were in the shower." He said simply. "Happened faster than I could react. Bon Jovi was the last thing I remember."

"Great," Lauren said. "I feel so much better." Maggie sat up and stood, fixing her hair. She turned to Sam.

"You're comfy," She grinned. "I should use you as a mattress more often." Sam stretched his back, receiving several pops as a reaction.

"I wish I could say the same about the chair." He stated. Maggie's smile remained.

"Oh, however will I make it up to you?" She asked sarcastically. Sam grinned.

"Hey," Lauren whined. "I don't want to throw up this early." Suddenly she stood, a hand on her mouth. "Too late." She muttered before she ran into the bathroom.

"That's kinda funny," Dean said. "You guys literally made her puke." Maggie stuck her tongue out a Dean.

"Yeah well," Sam said. "You look like hell so we're even." Dean scowled at him. Lauren came back out of the bathroom.

"Ya know," She said, toothbrush in her mouth. "I like this whole baby thing but the morning sickness sucks." She sat down on the edge of Dean's bed. "I throw up like ten times every day, my boobs hurt, and I am always friggin' hungry." She said. Sam laughed.

"Besides the whole boobs thing it sounds like Dean that one time we went to Mardi Gras." Dean rolled his eyes.

"One time! I threw up one time!" He said. Lauren stood.

"Well about that whole hungry thing, I have _got _to go get some food. And there is no way I'm eating hospital Jello. So I'll be back in a minute. Next stop, McDonalds!" She kissed Dean on the cheek. "I'll sneak you in some fries." She whispered. Dean grinned.

"I love you Mrs. Winchester." He said. Lauren shrugged.

"Yeah I know." She said. Maggie pulled on her other shoe.

"I'm comin' with." She said. "Dean said you can't go anywhere alone. That means McDonalds too." Lauren sighed and grabbed Dean's car keys.

"No eating in my car." Dean said. Lauren nodded.

"I know." Lauren huffed. Maggie kissed Sam's cheek.

"I'll bring ya back somethin'." She said. Sam nodded his thanks.

"C'mon slow-poke." Lauren said impatiently. She and Maggie left the room moments later. They walked in silence for a few moments.

"Excuse me!" A voice yelled behind them. They turned to see Dr. Watson walking briskly up to them. "I see your husband made it." He said. Lauren nodded. "That's fantastic."

"Yeah, I thought so too." Lauren said.

"Well that eight hours was important, vitally. It was the deciding factor whether the surgery was a success or not."

"So what does that mean?" Lauren asked.

"That means he can go home in about a week." Watson said. "He lost a lot of blood and he needs time to heal. I hope that isn't a problem." He said. Lauren and Maggie looked at each other.

"Oh it isn't a problem for us." Maggie said, emphasizing the last word.

"What do you mean?"

"You people are the ones that have to tell my hospital despising husband he has to stay here for a week." Lauren said.

**END**

--Thanks to everyone that followed the story and has been a faithful fan of mine. To those who took the time to read the whole thing and liked it even though you have no idea who I am, I thank you as well. Tell me if you liked the end by pressing that beautiful purple button below, I would be eternally grateful! God Bless and thank you again!! BTW next one should be coming fast. It's called Ransom. Read and enjoy, if you want to. Bye! --


End file.
